Do I make you feel less than...?

Great post by Simcha, over at The Register.   Go on, read it.

I would hate for anyone to think that my home is perfection, and that you can't measure up to my greatness!  This little spot is called A Shower of Roses because I want to talk about the good stuff that I enjoy, or the happy memories, or distract myself from the stresses.  Because I love St. Therese, too, but that's a different subject.  I'm like Charlotte (Waltzing Matilda) whom Simcha quotes in the article:

"[T]here are those of us who need to not focus on the struggling so much," she says, "Because if we do, we will be consumed by it."

So, don't be too in awe of me and my spinning or knitting skillz, because I'm struggling just like everyone else. (Totally tongue-in-cheek there, cuz I know you're not!)  In fact, if you ever wonder why I don't blog for a week, it's because there's a struggle going on.  It might be only in my head, but it's there!  It's probably just a to-do list that's a mile and a half long.  I'm not getting anything checked off because I'm spinning, but it's all weighing me down so I can't think of what to write about.   Or it's because I've added so much great content to my Feedly that all my thoughts are focused on what I read, not what I might write about!  Or, I might even want to rage about something in the political sphere, but I don't because I don't have the writing skills to go there.

I read a couple of decorating blogs---I would read more, but they're very dangerous for me---I've narrowed it down to just 2.  I might read an occasional post on another blog, but I won't subscribe because those have a very real tendency to make me feel bad about myself and my home.  The two I've kept have styles that I like for the most part, and they occasionally show us the real messes that they live with while they hyper-focus on some DIY project!

I try to remember that behind every perfect blogger is a mess.  It might be a physical, household mess, or it might be an internal, emotional mess, but there's a mess!  There's only one blogger I think is "perfect," but I keep telling myself she must have her struggles, too, so I don't allow myself to feel envious (okay, maybe a little).  

There's enough ugliness in the world around us without adding to it.  On Facebook, you can just block the friend who constantly posts tirades about politics or life.  On blogs, just scroll on through or unsubscribe.  Read the ones that lift you up.  Life is too short to be angry or to beat yourself up over someone else's little successes.

Not only is life too short, but if someone does make me feel bad about myself, should I get mad at them, or should I try to improve myself?  Assuming, of course, that this is an area that needs improvement and isn't just a shallow reflection...In the end, the only thing that matter is whether I pleased God, not myself or anyone else.